RPGFan's Retro Encounter

"My favorite book is Moby Dick; no symbolism, just a simple tale about a man who hates an animal." Metaphor: ReFantazio is one of 2024's most acclaimed RPGs, about a royal succession that spirals out of control into a struggle for the soul of the world's people. Clashes of ideologies, dramatic character turns, and robust combat and job systems are highlights of this modern classic. So who's our fa...

For a true hero isn't measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart. Retro Encounter concludes its 2024 Zelda Month with a second episode on A Link to the Past for the SNES, discussing the game's excellent second half of Dark World exploration and dungeoneering. So which panelist loves Misery Mire and which one hates the moth at the end of Skull Woods? What are our favorit...

Sky, Sea, Earth, and a Kidnapped Princess A Link to the Past is an unassailable classic of a Super Nintendo game, as a crystallization of multiple gameplay concepts that established the formula for dozens of Zelda games going forward, but also as an entertaining action RPG that has stood the test of time. Three Zelda veterans comprise the Retro Encounter panel today, and take a delightful nostalgi...

Zelda! The Zeldster! Zeldarino! Zelmeister! Making copies!  The Legend of Zelda series has long starred a hero named Link seeking a princess named Zelda, but in 2024 the roles reversed for the first time on a Nintendo system. Echoes of Wisdom's (sort of) new protagonist also sports an item-duplicating monster-summoning Tri-Rod and explores a beautifully rendered Hyrule. Naturally, three Zelda enth...

Are you ready for some Sploosh Kaboom!?  Retro Encounter begins a month of Zelda celebration for a Nintendo November to remember! Five panelists draft parties of their favorite Zelda characters, items, abilities, and locations in a snake draft format, all while trying to snag their favorites before others can snipe them off the board. So what's the first overall pick? Who dared draw from the Phili...

Aren't you scared? Well that's just fine. Here at RPGFan, we don't cover dedicated horror games often (other than the odd  Until Dawn or The Quarry ), but we still love the excitement of being scared! To celebrate All Hallows' Eve this year, a Retro Encounter panel highlights a few of the scariest moments from RPGs. From Dark Souls monstrosities to Suikoden psychopaths to Zelda zombies, this podca...

I learned to live half alive / Now you want me one more time Retro Encounter's host demonstrates contrition in today's episode, admitting on-air that there's at least one good Kingdom Hearts game out there. The panelists also discuss their favorite boss fights, Disney worlds, and character struggles of Kingdom Hearts, which might differ if you're playing on Normal, Proud, or Critical. Today our De...

In the night I hear 'em talk / The coldest story ever told Kingdom Hearts II , one of the most celebrated sequels in the Square Enix catalog, finally gets an episode (the first of two!) on Retro Encounter. Within, we discuss the game's dynamic combat, the earnestly made Disney worlds, and plenty about Kingdom Hearts II 's mysterious black robed mostly-antagonists.  Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alek...

The Leifthrasir Hand of Darkness When Ogre Battle retreats to the shadows, who keeps the beacons lit? When Princess Crown fails to draw an audience, who picks up the bag and keeps marching? When Japan shows a lack of interest in Starcraft, who ties the series to a tower defense game and a visual novel and waves that enticingly over the crowds? Of course, we all know when to cry out to Vanllaware,...

And amidst deepest despair, Retro Encounter everlasting. In honor of the recent release of Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail , we decided to get a few of our biggest XIV fans together to discuss the previous expansion, Endwalker . As the end of the Hydaelyn/Zodiark arc that dominated the first decade or so of Final Fantasy XIV , there is certainly a lot to talk about, with topics ranging from our favor...

What possible harm could an insane, mutant tentacle do?  Day of the Tentacle was a tentpole release in LucasArts's excellent run of classic adventure games from the late 1980s through the late 1990s, and its very specific dialog, puzzle logic, and sense of humor made it a cult classic. But how do two Day of the Tentacle longtime fans and one relative newcomer feel about this struggle of teenager v...

One more thing, there are a couple of loose ends I'd like to tie up. Nothing important, you understand. The Case of the Golden Idol made a splash in 2022, with its compelling murder mysteries, political intrigue, and puzzle adventure gameplay. It also has a decidedly retro look to it, so naturally a few of us wanted to play it. Today, three Retro Encounter panelists break down the mechanics, story...

We didn't start the fire Firewatch is the only release of indie game studio Campo Santo, but made quite an impact when it came out in 2016. Four Retro Encounter panelists played Firewatch recently, and today discuss everything from Firewatch's quotidian gameplay, clever use of anticlimax, and fabulous dialog both in writing and performance. So did we find Firewatch enlightening, disappointing, or...

The Dark Souls of Retro Encounter fantasy drafts  FromSoftware has produced an excellent run of fantasy RPGs since 2009's Demon's Souls, to which point its extended family of action RPGs comprises a genre all its own. And of course, if you can organize RPGs into a series, then Retro Encounter will attempt to draft them in time for American football season. So which player seizes Anor Londo in the...

Trespassers will be contemplated Retro Encounter concludes its eight-month-long playthrough of the Dragon Age trilogy, with a discussion of what's wrong with the Grey Wardens, what's worse in the Winter Palace, and much more. Dragon Age: Inquisition was a phenomenon in 2014, and the panel is excited to get to its long-awaited sequel in 2024. It's bears, barbarians, Titans, and Dread Wolves in the...

An Inquisition that everyone saw coming.  Retro Encounter played the first two Dragon Age games in the last nine months, so naturally there would come the time to finish the fight. Dragon Age: Inquisition escalates and expands the conflicts and concepts of the first two Dragon Age games, from the Mage-Templar war to the plight of Dalish Elves, in a 2014 Game of the Year contender. So how does toda...

This episode free with the Podcast of the Year edition Downloadable content used to be a video game luxury, but in 2024 it's an inevitability. But while day-one patches, frivolous additions, and pay-to-win models are frustrating or bad, sometimes an RPG's extra content is worth your time and hard drive space. In today's episode of Retro Encounter, four panelists detail a few of their favorite DLCs...

A, B, C, D, FF3 / Feels like a mid-rank to me Very few podcast, article, or video topics on the internet get folks more enthusiastic or more up in arms than tiers, lists, or a combination thereof. On today's emotional episode of Retro Encounter, four panelists play a fantasy-draft style game to place the main-series Final Fantasy games (plus FF Tactics) into five tiers. What quintet of RPGs land i...

Despite everything, it's still Retro Encounter. Over six years ago , we got together to chat about the instant indie class, Undertale . But, Undertale 's staying power is so strong that we decided to get together and chat about it again, this time with an all new panel. Is Papyrus still delightful every time he comes on screen? Did any of us have the heart to do a Genocide run? Hot dog? Listen in...

What is bravery without a dash of recklessness?  Five Retro Encounter panelists recently finished the first Dark Souls, and it's every bit as impressive, intense, and moving today as it was in 2011. Today the panel talks about the game's undercooked second-half environments, the fully-realized DLC episode, and the emotional turmoil upon discovering why certain bosses were present in their current...

Let's praise the sun! Doo-doo-doo-doo The Dark Souls of RPGFan podcasts has finally arrived! Dark Souls is one of the most celebrated RPGs of the 2010s, helping to establish an entire new genre of RPG. Today, one Dark Souls newcomer and four Souls-like veterans discuss this challenging, carefully-crafted RPG, from its interconnected setting to the intense boss fights of Dark Souls's first half.  F...

There can only be one.  Since time immemorial (May of 2019), Retro Encounter has hosted quiz shows to determine which Retro Encounter panelist knows the most about the subject we celebrate every day on our beloved website. Today, five former RPGFan quiz show winners duke it out in a trivia free-for-all to determine who is the true Champion of Champions. We've started, so we'll finish.   Featuring:...

PlayStation IV: A New Hope The PlayStation 4 was a massively successful console, with incredible sales, an official lifespan of seven years, and game releases continuing to the present day. And moreso than its predecessor, the PS4 had a rich selection of RPGs. Today, four Retro Encounter panelists each composed individual top ten lists of PS4 RPGs, and then collated those individual lists into a f...

Deep fried Retro! This week we get the panelists back together to chat about the second half of Grandia II . Listen in while we talk about late game changes in tone, how well the pacing holds up, and if Ryudo is still endlessly hilarious. Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Ben Love, Claton Stevenson; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Ema...

You can't go back, but you can move forward. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes was one of the most hotly anticipated RPG releases of 2024, as a successor to the fan-favorite Suikoden series in all but name, written and designed by Suikoden 's late creator Yoshitaka Murayama. So did Eiyuden live up to expectations? Are we excited for a potential Eiyuden sequel? Listen to find out!  Featuring: Micha...